The production of food products such as fruit fillings and toppings for use in, for example, yogurt and baked goods involves the cooking of fruit pieces with a variety of ingredients to produce a product with fruit pieces in a matrix of sugar, starch and/or other materials. The fruit pieces used may be fresh, frozen or cooked. Typically, the fruit and other materials in the recipe are cooked at temperatures up to 190° F. while agitated in a jacketed kettle. Quantities up to 300 gallons are not uncommon. The processed fruit product is cooled and packaged and may pass through piping and pumps before entering the final package.
The appearance and size of the fruit pieces is an important attribute for customer acceptance in many instances. The processing of the fruit generally degrades the physical appearance of the fruit pieces.
One current test for fruit identity in cooked food products containing fruit particles such as those used in yogurt is a “Fruit Retention Test”. The food product is washed on a screen to remove the matrix. The fruit retained on the screen is weighed and reported as a percentage fruit retention. The intention of the test is to measure the amount of complete fruit pieces above selected size and maintain a fruit identity based on this test. However, the “Fruit Retention Test” has been shown to have wide variability and it is difficult to obtain consistent results.
Computer imaging is believed to have many advantages for use in the measurement of fruit particles in a matrix. The use of computers to analyze images from a camera has developed rapidly in the last few years as increased speed and memory has permitted detailed examination of large numbers of images at a high rate. The technology has been driven by the need for high speed 100% inspection systems for applications outside the food industry and has been used as a method for quality inspection in such applications as contact lenses, semiconductor wafers, electronics, pharmaceuticals and others. The camera image is analyzed by the computer software and then measured against preselected criteria. The images can be examined by particle size, shape and area using pattern recognition and blob analysis to produce statistical data, particle size distribution tables, aspect ratios, graphs and for other methods of data presentation. It is proposed that such systems could be used for fresh fruit, frozen fruit and cooked fruit pieces containing food products.
It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide a simple and quick method of analyzing fruit particles for food products.
Another object is to provide economical and easy to construct apparatus for the analysis of fruit particles for food products.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent as the description proceeds.